Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to writing instruments, and particularly to a ballpoint pen having an internal ink cartridge and writing tip which is projected from and retracted into an elongated housing though an opening located at a forward end of the housing. Even more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a pen having an external pivotally mounted lever extending along the pen which when pivotally moved from an at-rest position engages an operating mechanism within the housing for slidably moving the writing tip of the ink cartridge into and out of the opening of the housing.
Background Information
Ballpoint pens with retractable writing tips which use a push-button type operating mechanism have been used for a considerable number of years. These pens have an externally exposed button projecting from an open rear end of the pen and upon pushing the button inwardly into the tubular housing of the pen will overcome a biasing spring or springs to either retract or extend the writing tip from the open end of the pen.
These push-button pens have been, constructed of numerous types of materials from inexpensive plastic wherein the pen is a free give-away promotional item to pens formed of titanium, stainless steel, wood and other materials to provide an effective writing instrument having esthetic appeal to the user. However, all of these prior art pens use the rear extending push-button as the actuating mechanism. Prior art examples of such mechanical writing instruments having a push-button type actuating mechanism or similar structure can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,219,769, 4,205,924, 4,221,491, 4,968,168, 5,152,626, 6,062,756, and 6,305,865. Although these prior art push-button pens provide effective and sometimes ornamental writing instruments, users thereof and especially collectors of such pens, are looking for novel designs which are both attractive and ornamental and the pen of the present invention is believed to provide such a desired result.